The present invention relates generally to a heating system and, more particularly, to a control, powered by a storage device and a thermoelectric assembly, to ensure operation of the heating system whenever the storage device is compromised, i.e., a self-sustaining control, and to enhance efficiency.
Gas-powered heating systems are well known. (As used herein, the term “gas-powered” refers to use of natural gas, propane or any other fossil fuel as the fuel source.) Such heating systems are operable in three conventional modes—the stand-by or “OFF” mode, the heating or “ON” mode and the intermediate or “PILOT-ON” mode.
For areas where electricity is unavailable, the heating system lacks an energy source for ignition of the pilot burner assembly whenever there is a demand for heating. As such, the heating system is designed to operate in the “PILOT-ON” mode in the absence of a heating demand and in the “ON” mode in the presence of a heating demand. That is, once the pilot burner assembly is manually lit as a part of the start-up procedure, the pilot burner assembly burns continuously, significantly diminishing system efficiency.